Narinjara news

Forced labour on the Sittwe – Rangoon Road

Sittwe, 30^th December 02: The repair of the weather-worn Sittwe – Rangoon Road has been conducted by the use of extensive forced labour in Ann, the southern town of Rakhine State in the western part of Burma, according to our correspondent.

On the 8^th this month at least eighty villagers of Dalatt tract in Ann Township were conscripted for forced labour by Light Infantry Battalion 34 stationed at Kyaukpyu Township in the middle of Rakhine State. The repair and renovation of the section of road extending from Ann to Mrebon has been taken up by a contingent of troops headed by Major Thein Tun.

At Ponnagyun Township, situated to the north of Sittwe, township junta chairman Than Aye Swe ordered the villagers to make fences around the saplings and water them along the section of the Sittwe – Rangoon Road by utilizing forced labour. The chairman also ordered the villagers along the stretch of the road in his township to plant bean seeds and red chilli seeds, “taking care not to leave an inch of soil bare”, our correspondent quoted a village elder.

In Sittwe Township, forced labour has been newly used at and around the Narigan Bridge in repairing the embankments washed away in the monsoons. At least six villages in the area including Kya-mathauk, Theindan, Radan, and Wabo have been engaged in the forced labour drive.

Lieutenant general Maung Oo, commander of western command called at Mrebon Township from 13^th to 15^th December for supervising the construction and maintenance works of the road. He told the people that as the road is meant for them and used by them it is the bounden duty for them to look after and conduct renovation works of the broken down sections as necessary. He also added that he has a hobby of detaining and imprisoning people who defy his orders, our correspondent added. #